Police look for 'suspicious' van

An Ionia County man suffered non-life threatening injuries when a trench collapsed as he was installing a sewer line near the new Livingston County Jail this morning, Livingston County sheriff's officials said.(Photo: File photo)

Livingston County law enforcement and Howell Public Schools officials are asking the public to be vigilant after a boy reported a suspicious van Thursday at a bus stop area.

Undersheriff Michael Murphy said the middle-school age boy reported that he got off the bus on Lenard Circle in the South Oaks condo site development in Marion Township around 3 p.m. and had reached the door of his family’s home when he heard someone yelling at him.

Murphy said the boy did not hear what the man said, but he reported the incident to his mother, who looked out a window and saw the white panel van leaving the area.

“In today’s world, you never know,” Murphy said. “We’re asking if anyone sees a white panel van with rust on the bottom to give us a call.”

School officials said the van also was described as a Chevrolet with tinted windows in front and no writing on the side or rear of the van.

The sheriff’s department will have extra patrols in the area as well.

Tom Gould, Howell Public Schools public relations director, said school officials immediately notified parents to watch out for the van just before the high school and middle school released students were released for the day.

Anyone who sees a van matching this description or notices any suspicious activity is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department at 517-546-2440.